Amtrak is on pace to set another annual ridership record. The national intercity passenger railroad recently announced it carried 14.3 million passengers during fiscal-year 2007’s first seven months, a 5 percent increase compared with the same FY06 period.

Amtrak’s short-distance corridors – which stretch 500 miles or less – carried 12.3 million passengers, representing a significant increase, according to the railroad.

Amtrak also reported year-over-year gains on its most popular routes. The Washington, D.C.-to-New York City-to-Boston Northeast Corridor carried 5.7 million passengers compared with 5.4 million; the San Diego-to-Los Angeles-to-San Luis Obispo, Calif. Pacific Surfliner, 1.46 million vs. 1.44 million; the San Jose-to-Sacramento Capitol Corridor, 815,000 vs. 724,000; the New York City-to-Albany, N.Y-to-Toronto Empire Corridor, 705,000 vs. 680,000; and the New York City-to-Philadelphia-to-Harrisburg, Pa. Keystone Corridor, 553,000 vs. 472,000.

“Amtrak has seen record ridership increases for each of the past three years, and these mid-year numbers suggest that will continue,” said Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Alex Kummant in a prepared statement.